The Super Simple Way To Backup Your Infrastructure – Leverage Azure Storage – How To Backup To Azure Step-By-Step

In this detailed post and hands on lab (HOL) guide we will introduce Windows Azure backup and dive in deep with step-by-step instructions you can use to schedule a backup, perform a manual backup of your server and perform a test restore.The post assumes only that you have a server that you want to backup to Windows Azure.If you do not already have a LiveID/Microsoft Account and Windows Azure account, you can create them with the instructions in the prerequisites which will take about 20 mins.The remainder of the steps (including creating the self-signed certificate) will take less than 40 mins to complete.If you find this guide/post helpful please tweet…

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What is Windows Azure Backup?

Windows Azure Backup helps protect server data against loss and corruption by enabling backup to offsite cloud storage in Windows Azure. It provides a consistent experience configuring, monitoring, and recovering backups across local disk and cloud storage, integrating with the in-box backup program in Microsoft Windows Server or System Center Data Protection Manager.

Windows Azure Backup encrypts and protects your backups in offsite cloud storage with Windows Azure, adding a layer of protection in case data loss or disaster impacts your servers. It can integrate with the backup tools in Windows Server or System Center Data Protection Manager. You can manage cloud backups from these familiar tools to configure, monitor, and recover backups across local disk and cloud storage with ease. Windows Azure Backup delivers efficient data protection. It minimizes network bandwidth use, provides flexible data retention policies, and provides a cost-effective data protection solution that can be Geo replicated with ease. Data stored in Windows Azure is geo-replicated among Windows Azure data centers, for additional protection. Your data is encrypted before it leaves your premises, and remains encrypted in Windows Azure – only you have the key. Incremental backups provide multiple versions of data for point-in-time recovery. Plus, you can recover just what you need with file-level recovery.

How is Windows Azure Backup Deployed?

Windows Azure Backup is deployed by configuring or enabling the services on Windows Azure then installing an agent on the server that communicates with the service. In this Step-By-Step post we will go through the entire process Step By Step so you can easily deploy in your environment.

Here we go with the details…

0)Prerequisites

a.Create or Login to your Microsoft Account (LiveID): How To Sign up for a Free Microsoft Account (aka LiveID) Step-By-Step http://ITProGuru.com/LiveID

c.You may have to disable IE Enhanced Security: Click Server Manager – Local Server – IE Enhanced Security Configuration – change the On to Off for administrators – Close browser then reopen browser.

1)Create a self-signed computer certificate to be used for authentication between the host to be backed up and the Windows Azure Backup Vault. How To Create A Self-Signed Computer Certificate using PowerShell Step-By-Step http://ITProGuru.com/GuruCert

a.Run PowerShell from the machine you want to create certificate on: Start then type PowerShell then Right-Click on PowerShell icon and select Run as Administrator.

h.You will get a message that says “Successfully uploaded the certificate to the vault.”Click the checkmark near OK

4)Install the Windows Azure Backup Agent.

a.While logged into the server you will be backing up to Azure, go ahead and add a file to the desktop so we can confirm that it can be restored.Right-Click Desktop – New – Text Document – Enter. There is now a new text document on the deskop.

b.In the Windows Azure portal, you should still be on the Quick Start screen for your Backup Vault after you uploaded your certificate.If not, navigate to Recovery Services, then click on the name (TestBackup) of your backup vault.

c.Click on Download Agent. For either Windows Server or Windows Server Essentials depending on what flavor you are running.

d.

Click Run to install the Windows Azure Backup Agent.

e.Go through the agent installation. After you have installed the Agent, click the Circled Checkmark to close the pop-out window.The Agent installation program will create a Desktop icon and Start Screen tile.